Do Your Therapist’s Politics Matter? And Is It Okay to Ask?

Back in graduate school for Counseling (around 2012 or so), I don’t remember talking about politics in class. Sure, we discussed ethics, values, how transparent therapists should (or should not) be in session, and how therapist biases might impact the work—but I don’t recall ever discussing how who you voted for in the last election might come up when consulting with potential clients. I wonder if they do that now. It’s not that there wasn’t some division when it came to politics, but it was nowhere near as significant or impactful on relationships. In ways that they never did before, people are choosing to pursue friendships (or end them) based on political beliefs. Whatever end of the political spectrum a person might identify with, they’re finding it harder and harder to identify with, like, or relate to people who they think see the world through a completely different lens. Because of this, it’s no surprise that clients are starting to approach therapy with a demand for a certain level of transparency from prospective therapists about where they stand. The therapeutic relationship, after all, is a relationship. Even those who hesitate to ask directly often find ways to feel this out—or find themselves treading lightly when discussing certain things that weigh on them in this climate.

The more traditional school of thought around a therapist’s personal ideas, beliefs, and values is that none of those things should enter the room; that we are to meet the clients where they are and set all biases aside. It may also be important to note as part of this conversation that historically, therapists’ personal lives have been viewed as something that should be off the table when it comes to work in the therapy room. The focus, after all, should be on the client and not on the therapist. Although this has shifted somewhat over recent years with therapists more willing to offer glimpses of themselves, most therapists agree that the extent to which they self-disclose should remain somewhat guarded, with careful consideration for how this might impact the work either positively or negatively. We share not for our own personal benefit, but for our client’s benefit—whether that be to build trust, to normalize feelings, to humanize the therapist, or to demonstrate a shared understanding of something.

So Do Your Therapist’s Political Beliefs Matter?

The answer to this question is that your therapist’s political beliefs and opinions matter if they matter to you. Some people entering therapy to work on a specific problem only care if the therapist is specialized at helping them treat that particular issue. A person struggling with panic attacks, for example, might only care that the therapist they choose to work with knows the science behind anxiety and how to cope with panic attacks using sound, evidence-based approaches. Others might see the political landscape as being indistinguishable from whatever stressors they might be facing. Without going into politics directly in this piece, you can see how someone dealing with issues surrounding anxiety or anger around world events, religion, pregnancy, or family rejection due to political beliefs might inform the values or beliefs that are important to them when choosing a therapist. In some cases, it goes beyond normal curiosity and becomes more about people needing to get beyond the fear of being secretly judged—whether or not they actually would be judged.

So Should You Ask? How? When?

A sort of standard principle in therapy is that no question is off-limits. That doesn’t mean that a therapist will answer any question directly, but it doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t ask if the question is important to you. The answer, whether direct or not, will be telling. Many therapists—especially those who lean more toward the belief that self-disclosure can be helpful when used appropriately—will honestly share. Others—therapists that prefer to shift the focus back to the client—may answer less directly and use it as an opportunity to understand where the question is coming from and why it is important. Neither is absolutely right or wrong and may just come down to the style of the therapist. Whatever the response, you as the client can make a decision as to whether or not what you’re getting from the therapist works for you.

As to when and how to ask, it’s often best to sort this kind of stuff out early in the process. Most therapists are willing to offer complimentary consultations before starting therapy if requested. If it’s important to you to know your therapist’s political leanings, ask openly and directly from the very start

"Do Your Therapist's Politics Matter? And Is It Ok To Ask?" is a blog post that was written by Joel Schmidt, LMHC. If you would to schedule a consultation or appointment with Joel, or another one of our therapists, please contact us and our Client Care Coordinator will help you get started. View our therapists by visiting our therapists page.